Collapsible structure to support antenna elements

ABSTRACT

A collapsible structure for supporting a pair of elongated conductive rods is provided. In the described arrangement, a pair of identical support parts of insulator material are mounted in opposed interfitting relation to the boom of an antenna. The support parts are mounted so that antenna rods fixed to the support parts lie parallel to the boom when the structure is in the collapsed condition and cross generally perpendicular to the boom when the structure is operated to place the rods in their extended or operative condition. The two support parts of insulator material each have a load bearing leg extending therefrom which fits into a slot in the other insulator support part upon the parts being pivoted to place the rods in the extended condition.

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the described armounted so that antenna rods fixed to the support parts lie parallel to the boom perative conal each have a load bearing leg extending therefrom which fits into a slot in parts being pivoted to place the rods in the extended condition.

ABSTRACT: A collapsible structure for supporting a pair of elongated conductive rods is provided. In

rangement, a pair of identical support parts of insulator material are mounted in opposed interfitting relation to the boom of an antenna. The support parts are when the structure is in the collapsed condition and cross generally perpendicular to the boom when the structure is operated to place the rods in their extended or o dition. The two support parts of insulator materi the other insulator support part upon the 92 9 ummnm 873007 8 8 ZIQBZ T & m m u m P m4 m mm W m m m o m 2% T. m mm E m mmoo R m m WWO. msufl m mw TF W W" N m WWW E..m u SMw m mm EEm m mm LLD "h vRE m mm IA h "m S n u mmm Mi LEm 6 MC S .M k CAB U hr. 4 .4 N 5 U 55 PATENTEUuuv 23 Ian SHEET 1 [1F 2 PATENTEDNUV 23 ISYI sum 2 [1F 2 COLLAPSIBLE STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT ANTENNA ELEMENTS This invention relates to the art of rodlike element support structures and more particularly to rodlike element support structures that are to be handled in a collapsed form for transportation and storage.

In the field of television and FM (frequency modulation) reception antennas, the most common form of antenna in use is the center fed, rod-type, dipole antenna. A plurality of rodtype, dipole antennas and associated parasitic antenna elements are arranged in an in-line relationship to form an antenna system covering a given range of frequencies. The rod-type antenna elements are usually mounted to a boom which is, in turn, mounted to a vertical mast in a manner such that the rods extend generally perpendicular to the boom and parallel to the ground. Each of the rod-type, dipole antenna elements is fixed to the boom by a support ofinsulator material with one of a pair of rods which make up the dipole antenna fixed to one end of the support and extending out from one side of the boom, the second rod of the pair of rods being fixed to the opposite end of the support and extending out from the opposite side of the boom. Since the support is ofinsulator material one of the pair of rods is insulated from the other and both are insulated from the boom which is usually of conductive material. A pair of electrical feed lines are provided such that one of the pair of feed lines is connected to one of the pair of rods in the dipole antenna and the other feed line is connected to the other of the pair of rods. Normally, the connection of the feed lines to the rods is at the point where the end ofa rod is joined to the support.

Since antenna systems as above are stored and transported until used, it is highly desirable that the antenna systems be collapsible. One approach has been to pivot each rod of the pair of rods in a dipole antenna at the point where the end of the rod is joined to the support ofinsulator material and where the feed line is connected to the rod. A rivet is usually passed through the rod, the feed line and the support to hold these three pieces together. Some latching means is usually provided to hold the conductive rod when it is in its extended position.

Several problems exist with such prior art arrangements. One is a packaging problem. Since the insulator remains fixed on the boom, the length and overall dimensions of this insulator determine the shape and size of the container. Consequently, the cost of shipping and storage is substantially determined by the size of the insulator. If the insulator is large enough to provide the required amount of support to the antenna rods, the packaging is large.

A second problem is related to the stress on the small section of the rod which is fixed near the end of the insulator. In such an arrangement, the rigid holding of the rod at a single point near the end of the rod with the rod being unsupported in the entire region beyond the insulator causes the rod, when loaded during icing conditions and/or heavy wind conditions, to bend or break at the attachment point or at the point along the rod adjacent to the edge ofthe insulator.

Another problem associated with the prior art arrangements is that of a good electrical connection between the feed line and the dipole rod itself. Since the rod is rotatably positioned relative to the feed line and the insulator, the rivet must be loose enough to be a pivot. Consequently, if is not tight enough to always ensure a good electrical connection. Therefore a bad connection often exists between the rod and the feed line.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved support structure for rod-type elements wherein the support for the rodlike elements increases the loading strength of the rodlike elements.

Briefly, this and other objects of the present invention are provided by an improved collapsible support structure for supporting a pair ofelongated rodlike conductors which pair form an antenna dipole element, for example. A pair of opposed interfitting support parts of insulator material are mounted to a boom. Each of the support parts includes a rod-holding portion adapted to receive, hold and support along a given length one of said rodlike conductors. The pair of support parts are mounted to a boom so as to permit the rod-holding portions thereof to pivot from a position parallel to and alongside opposite sides of the boom to a position where the rod-holding portion of each support part crosses the boom and is aligned with the opposed holding portion of the other support part. The support parts are configured such that when the rod-holding portions thereof are in their crossed and aligned position, the support parts cooperate with each other to provide greater rigidity to the rods than is provided by each of the support parts alone. Means are provided so that, when the support parts are in their crossed and aligned position, the support parts are locked in that position.

A more complete understanding of the invention and the various objectives, features and advantages thereof may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description taken together with the claims and the attached drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible, rod-type support structure according to one embodiment of the invention showing the rods held thereby in their extended or operating condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the collapsible support structure of FIG. 1 showing one of the rods held thereby in its packaged or disassembled condition alongside the boom;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of two dipole antenna units mounted to a boom illustrating the connection of electrical feed lines thereto;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view ofline 4-4 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a support 10 for a pair ofconductive rods 11 and 12. The rods 11 and 12 may be included in and will be described as part of an antenna dipole unit. Only a portion of these rods are shown. The rods are continuous conductors with a length usually about one-quarter of a wavelength at the desired operating frequency. The support 10 includes two identical support parts '16 and 17 of insulator material and a boom 13 usually constructed of conductive material. The two insulator support parts 16 and 17 are pivotally mounted to the boom 13 by a rivet 14 which passes through both support parts 16 and 17 and the boom 13. Washers 18 and 19 are placed at either end of the rivet 14 adjacent to the support parts 16 and 17. The washers 18 and 19 with the rivet 14 hold the support parts 16 and 17 together and to the boom 13 but allow the support parts 16 and 17 to rotate about the rivet 14 on the boom 13. The support parts 16 and 17 are made of a resilient plastic, insulative material, for example, a polypropylene plastic. When the two support parts 16 and 17 are pivoted such that the rods 11 and 12 extend perpendicular to the boom 13 in their operating condition (as in FIG. 1), the two support parts 16 and 17 are configured to act as a combined support structure. This combined support structure provides insulation between the rods 11 and 12 and between the rods 11, 12 and the conductive boom 13. The support part 16 is identical to the support part 17, the support part 17 being mounted in opposed relation on the opposite side of the boom 13 from the support part 16 so that one support part is inverted with respect to the orientation of the other support part.

The support part 16 includes a rod holding portion 23 which is perpendicular to the boom 13 when the support part 16 is pivoted so that the conductive rod 11 held thereby is in the extended or operating condition. The support part 16 includes a locking arm or member 24. When the antenna rod 11 is in its extended or operating condition, the locking member 24 is adjacent to and aligned with the boom 13 with the tabs 26 and 27 of the member 24 on either side of the boom 13 to prevent support part 16 from pivoting on the rivet 14. When the support part 16 is in its locked and operating condition, the midtaken generally in the plane a feed line connection as point of the rodholdingportion 23 is located at substantially the center of the boom 13 so that the rod-holding portion 23 extends substantially on the same length on opposite sides of the boom 13. The locking member 24 extends in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the midpoint of the rod-holding portion 23. Bracing members 22 and 25 extend between the locking member 24 and the rod-holding portion 23 to help distribute to the boom 13 via the locking member 24 the loading of the holding portion 23 due to the presence of the rod 11 held thereby. The rod-holding portion 23 includes a channel 33 which extends the length of the holding portion 23 and which is adapted to receive one end of the conductive rod 1 l. The rod 11 is positioned within the entire channel 33 with sections 31 and 32 near the opposite ends of the rod-holding portion 23 overlapping the rod 11 to hold the rod 11 within the channel 33. The rod 11 may be held from sliding out of the channel 33 by means of a bolt 29 which passes through the rod 11 and the support part 16 to a nut, not shown. When the support part 16 is pivoted clockwise into its storage position, the rod-holding portion 23 is substantially parallel to the boom 13 as shown in FIG. 2. In this position the locking member 24 is substantially perpendicular to the boom 13.

The opposite ends of the rod-holding portion 23 of support part 16 are configured to meet with the corresponding ends of the rod holding portion 43 of support part 17 when the two rod-holding portions 23,43 cross perpendicular to the boom 13 as shown in FIG. 1. A leg member 61 of support part 16 extends generally perpendicular to the rod 11 to the locking member 24 at one end of the rod-holding portion 23. The leg member 61 has a footlike segment 63 which extends perpendicular to the leg member 61. The opposite end of the rodholding portion 23 has a groove 64 adapted to receive a leg member and footlike segment similar to those just described.

The support part 17 is identical to support part 16. When the support part 17 is oriented with respect to the boom 13 so that the rod 12 is in its extended condition, the rod-holding portion 43 of the support part 17, and consequently the rod 12, is oriented perpendicular to the boom 13. The rod-holding portion 43, when in this perpendicular position extends substantially equidistant on opposite sides of the boom 13. The support part 17 includes a locking member 44 which, when the rod 12 is in its extended perpendicular condition, is ad jacent and parallel to the boom 13 with the tabs 46 and 47 located on either side of the boom 13 to prevent the support part 17 from pivoting on the rivet 14. Bracing members 40 and 41 extend between the locking member 44 and the rod-holding portion 43. The rod-holding portion 43 includes a channel 53 extending the entire length of the rod-holding portion 43 adapted to receive the rod 12. Sections 48,49 near the ends of the portion 43 overlap and holdthe rod 12 within the channel 53 The rod 12 may be fixed to the support part 17 by means of a bolt 38 which passes through the rod 12 and the rod-holding portion 43 to a nut 45. Like the identical support part 16, the support part 17 can be pivoted into its storage (counterclockwise) position to place the rod holding portion 43 and thus the rod 12 substantially parallel to the boom 13 along the side of the boom 13 opposite to that at which the rod-holding portion 23 of the support part 16 is located when in its storage (clockwise) position.

The opposite ends of the rod-holding portion 43 of support part 17 are similar in configuration to the construction at the ends of the rod-holding portion 23. At one end of the rodholding portion 43 is a leg member 71 which extends generally perpendicular to the rod 12 and channel 53 and to the locking member 44. The end of the leg member 71 has a footlike segment 73 which extends perpendicular to the leg member 71. The opposite end of the rod-holding portion 43 has a groove 74 similar to the groove 64 in the rod-holding portion 23 which is adapted to receive the end of the leg member 61 and the footlike segment 63.

When the support parts 16 and 17 are in their locked positions so that the rods 11 and 12 cross in aligned relationship perpendicular to the boom 13 as shown in FIG. 1, an improved trussed support structure is provided. In this condition. the end of the leg member 61 and the footlike segment 63 fit in the groove 74.. The footlike segment 63 rests under a tablike member 75 at the grooved end of the support part 17 with an extension 66 of the leg member 61 terminating just above the surface of the support part 17, sufficient clearance being provided so that the segment 63 can slide into and out of the groove 74. Likewise, in this locked condition, the end of the leg member 71 and the footlike segment 73 fit in the groove 64. The footlike segment 73 rests under a tablike member 65 of the support part 16 with an extension 76 of the leg member 71 terminating just below the surface of the support 16, as shown in FIG. 1. The extension 76, segment 73, tabs 65 and the groove 64 are dimensioned to permit the segment 73 to slide in and out of the groove 64.

The combined structure 10, as described above in its locked and extended condition provides a significant increase in strength for the rods 11, 12 over that provided by the support parts 16 and 17 alone. When loading occurs on the rods 11, 12 in either a downward or upward direction, the leg members 61 and 71 with segments 63 and 73 distribute the load from one of the support parts 16 and 17 to the other opposite and aligned support part. When loading occurs in a downward direction on rods 11 and 12, the leg member 61 is pressed against the support part 17 at the groove 74 and at the extension 66. The opposite end of support part 16 is supported by positioning the footlike segment 73 of support part 17 under the tab member 65 of support part 16.

1f the loading on the rods 11 and 12 is in the opposite direction, or upward direction, the leg member 71 and the extension 76 are pressed against support 16 with the segment 63 against the tab member 75.

Referring again to FlGS. 1 and 2, the support part 16 is shown in its unfolded and folded position, respectively. The grooves 64 and 74 extend at an angle completely through the end of the rod holding portions 23 and 43 in the horizontal plane leaving tab segments 65 and 75. When the support parts 16 and 17 are rotated in their respective counterclockwise and clockwise directions from the folded position, the footlike segment members 63 and 73 slide into and along the grooves 64 and 74. As mentioned, locking is provided by the tabs 26 and 27 of member 24 and tabs 46 and 47 of locking member 44. A pivoting stop 81 may be provided on each support part to prevent the support part from pivoting beyond its proper extended position, as shown in FIG. 1.

In order to rotate the rods 11 and 12 from their extended perpendicular position, the locking members 24 and 44 must be raised so as to lift tabs 26 and 27 or 46 and 47 above and free of the boom 13. The locking members 24 and 44 are molded to have a built in bias in the direction toward the boom 13 so that when the respective support parts are in the position of FIG. 1, the locking portions 24 and 44 are pressed against the boom 13, locking the support parts to the boom 13. This bias is provided in the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the slope of the locking member beginning along area 83 thereof. Folding the rods requires overcoming the bias supplied by the construction of the plastic support parts 16 and 17 in order to pull tabs 26 and 27 of support part 16, for example, free from the boom 13. Ribs 82 in locking member 24 and likewise in member 44 not visible in FIGS. 1 and 2 provide the biasing required to lock the support part to the boom 13, and also allow the thickness of the locking member itself to be less and consequently more flexible to allow the locking members 24 and 44 to be lifted away from the boom 13. It is pointed out that the support parts 16 and 17 are moveable independently of one another. That is one support part can be moved between its extended and storage positions without moving the other support part regardless of whether the other support part happens to be in its storage or extended position. Also, by constructing the insulator support parts of a resilient plastic material, the resulting structure provides a flexibility which can absorb some of the shock due to loading on the rods ll, 12.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is illustrated the manner in which the construction of FIGS. 1 and 2 may be incorporated in an antenna system. Two antenna dipole units 92,93 are shown positioned on a boom 95. Unit 92 includes support parts 96 and 97 which support and space conductor rods 98 and 99. Only a portion of the rods are shown. The rods are continuous conductors with a length related to the operational wavelength of the antenna system. The support parts 96 and 97 are similar to the support parts 16 and 17 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Support part 97 and conductive rod 99 are mounted on the top surface of boom 95. The rod 99 and support part 97 are shown in their folded position with the rod 99 extending above the boom 95 and parallel to one side of the boom 95. The rod 98 and support part 96 are mounted on the opposite or bottom side of the boom 95. WHen folded for storage, rod 98 and support part 96 fold in a counterclockwise direction so that the rod 98 extends below the boom 95 and parallel to the side of the boom 95 opposite to that along which the rod 99 extends. Unit 93 includes support parts 106 and 107 (refer to FIG. 4) which support and space conductive rods 101 and 102. The support parts 106 and 107 again are similar to the support parts 16 and 17 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Support parts 106 and 107 and conductor rods 101 and 102 are more clearly illustrated in FIG. 4 which is a bilevel cross section taken generally in the plane of line 4-4 through the unit 93 in FIG. 3. Support part 106 and rod 101 are mounted on a surface of the boom 95 referred to for purposes of description as the top surface of boom 95. The rod 101 and support part 106 are shown in both dashed lines and solid lines in FIG. 3. When the rod 101 and the support part 106 are in their folded position, as indicated by dashed lines, the rod 101 extends parallel to and above the top surface of the boom 95. The rod 101 extends in the same direction along the boom 95 as the rod 99 when folded as shown in FIG. 3, but is on the side of the boom 95 opposite to that along which the rod 99 extends. The rod 102 and support art 107 are mounted to the bottom side of the boom 95. When rod 107 is folded to its storage position in a clockwise direction, the rod 102 extends parallel to the boom 95 and below the boom 95 in the same direction as the rod 99. To summarize in the interest of clarity and considering again that FIG. 3 is a top view of the assembly, rod 99 crosses above and perpendicular to the boom 95 when folded for storage. Rod 102 crosses below and perpendicular to the boom 95 in the same direction as rod 99 when both are extended.

When rod 102 is folded for storage, it extends parallel to the same side of the boom 95 as does rod 99 when it is folded, the rod 99 being above and the rod 102 being below the boom 95. Rod 98 when extended crosses below and perpendicular to the boom 95 in the direction opposite to that of rod 99 when extended. When folded for storage, rod 98 extends parallel to and below the boom 95 along the side of the boom 95 opposite to that along which rods 99 and 102 extend when folded. Rod 101 crosses above and perpendicular to the boom 95 in the same direction as rod 98 when extended. When folded for storage, rod 102 extends parallel to and above the boom 95 along the same side of boom 95 as rod 98 when rod 98 is folded for storage. As a result of this arrangement of the rods 98, 99, 101 and 102, the rods 98 and 99 of one antenna unit 92 do not when folded for storage interfere with the rods 101 and 102 of the next adjacent unit 93 when they are likewise folded for storage.

Another benefit gained by the arrangement of the units 92 and 93 shown in FIG. 3 is that of transposition of the feed lines. Active antenna dipole elements can be more closely spaced from each other on a boom if 180 phase change is provided between the elements. A common way of accomplishing this phase reversal is by connecting one half of a dipole extending in one direction, for example, from a boom to the half of the next dipole along the boom which extends in the opposite direction from the boom.

Referring to FIGS 3 and 4, a pair ofconductors 110 and 111 extend parallel, above and below, respectively, boom 95. A flexible conductive strap 119 is connected at one end by bolt and nut (not shown) to rod 99. The screw I20 passes through rod 99, support part 97 and the strap 119. The opposite end of strap 119 is connected to feed line 110 by a rivet or screw 122. Similarly, a conductive strap (in dashed lines) is connected at one end to rod 98 by a bolt 126 and nut 127. The bolt 126 passes through the rod 98, support part 96 and the strap 125. The opposite end of strap 125 is connected to feed line 111 by a screw 128 (in dashed lines). Referring to antenna unit 93 in FIGS. 3 and 4, a flexible conductive strap is connected at one end by a bolt 136 and nut 137 to rod 101 and at the other end to feed line 110 by a screw or rivet 138. Referring to FIG. 4, a conductive strap is connected between rod 102 and feed line 111. As can be seen from FIG. 3, rod 101 is connected to the same feed line conductor 110 as rod 99 via straps 135 and 119 respectively. Rod 102 is connected to the same feed line conductor 111 as rod 98 via straps 145 and 125. Since the rods 99 and 101 extend in opposite direction and rods 98 and 102 extend in opposite directions, transposition is provided and the units 92 and 93 can be more closely placed relative to each other along the boom 95.

By use of flexible conductive straps, an improved feed line structure is provided. The straps 119, 125, 135 and 145 are flexible so as to bend easily in the direction in which the support parts 96, 97, 106, and 107 pivot. The straps bend to a U- shape when the rods are extended and tend to straighten out in a horizontal direction as the rods are folded for storage. The straps are arranged to bend easily in only the pivoting direction and consequently the straps do not interfere with the moving parts. The straps, as described above, are fixedly held at their opposite ends by means, for example, of a screw or rivet. Consequently, a good connection between the feed line and the antenna rod is maintained.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 the two support parts 106 and 107 are fixed to the boom 95 by means of a rivet with two washers 151 and 152 at opposed enlarged ends of the rivet 105 with two washers 151 and 152 at opposed enlarged ends of the rivet 150 as discussed previously in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. Support for the pair of feed line conductors 110 and 111 is provided by a plurality of support parts 140 of flexible insulator material such as polypropylene plastic (see FIG. 5). Each feed line support 140 includes a feed line spacer part 141 held at one end beneath one of the washers 151 or 152 and at the other end to one of the conductors 110 or 111 of the feed line. Each feed line support 140 also includes a cap 142. The feed line spacer part 141 has a generally cylindrical body with slits 143 and with a tapered lip 144 so as to hold the washers 151 and 152 at the lip 144. The spacer part 141 is fitted over the washer by the material thereof flexing and the slits 143 expanding sufficiently upon the part 141 being pressed thereagainst. The opposite end of the spacer part 141 is adapted to pass the channel-shaped, feed line conductor 110 or 111. The opposite end of the spacer part 141 has a first pair of grooves 154, 155 and a second pair of grooves 164, therein. The surface portions 156 and 157 at the end of the spacer part 141 between the grooves 154 and 155 and grooves 164 and 165 respectively are made just slightly shorter than the remaining surface portions at the ends that the feed line conductor, when in the position shown in FIG. 4, is flush with the remaining surface portions at the end of the spacer part 141. The spacer part 141 has a pair of exterior projecting flanges 158 and 159 extending from the end of the spacer part 141 where the grooves 154, 155, 164 and 165 are located. The support cap 142 has a first pair of apertures 161 and 162 adapted to receive the pair of projecting flanges I58, 159 when the support cap 142 which is flexible plastic material is expanded upon being forced over the grooved end of the spacer part 141, thus holding the cap 142 to the spacer part 141. The support cap 142 includes a pair of wide slots 163 and 166 aligned with the grooves 154, 155, 164, 165 to allow the passage of the channel-shaped conductor through the feed line support 140 and also to allow the support cap to fit over the spacer part 141. A small riser extending from the center of the cap 142 rests against the conductor 1 10 or 1 11. This riser acts to press the conductor tightly against the spacer part 140 and, thus, rigidly secures the conductor to the support part.

Referring to FIG. 3, the active antenna dipole elements 92 or 93 can be made to act as passive units by disconnecting the end of the flexible straps. for example, straps 119 and 125 from the respective feed lines and connecting them to the boom 95 by any suitable means. While not shown, it is to be understood that suitable means known in the art are provided for feeding signal energy to and/or from the feed line conductors 1 it Ill 1.

While the description provided herein has discussed the support structure disclosed as positioning the rods perpendicular to the boom 13 or 95, in certain cases the rods may be positioned at other desired angles with respect to the boom, for example, providing a V-shaped antenna assembly. in such cases. the construction can be as described except for the feature of the interlocking leg members provided in the embodiment described herein.

We claim:

l. A collapsible antenna structure comprising:

a boom,

a pair of elongated rodlike conductors,

a pair of support parts of insulator material, each of said support parts having a rod-holding portion one of said pair of elongated rodlike conductors held by and extending a length of one of said pair of rod-holding portions and the other of the pair of elongated rodlike conductors held by and extending a length of the other one of said pair of rod-holding portions,

means mounting said pair of support parts to said boom to pivot said rodlike conductors between positions generally paralleling opposite sides of the boom and positions where said rodlike conductors cross said boom with said rodlike conductors being parallel to and overlapping one another over a given length on opposite sides of the boom and at a given angle with respect to said boom, each of said rod-holding portions of said support parts holding a portion of the length of one of said rodlike conductors to provide a large area support of said rodlike conductors on either side of the boom when said rodlike conductors cross said boom,

the pair of support parts being configured to cooperate with each other and said boom when the rod-holding portions are in the position where said rodlike conductors are parallel and overlapping one another to provide rigidity to said rods in addition to that provided by said support parts alone.

2. The combination as in claim i wherein said given angle is a substantially 90 angle.

3. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said rodlike conductors in said parallel and overlapping position cross the boom with substantially equal lengths of each rod-holding portion extending from both of said opposites sides of said boom.

4. The combination as in claim it wherein said insulator material is a resilient plastic material.

5. The combination as in claim 4 wherein said resilient plastic material is polypropylene plastic.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ends of one said rod-holding portion are configured to cooperate with the ends of the other rod-holding portion when said rodlike conductors are in said parallel and overlapping positron.

7. The combination as in claim 6 wherein one end of each of said rod-holding portions has a groove and the opposite end has a load-bearing support leg adapted to fit in the groove of the other rod-holding portion when said rodlike conductors are in said parallel and overlapping position.

8. The combination as in claim 1 wherein each of said parts includes a locking member adapted to hold said part against pivoting to the boom when said rodlike conductors are in said parallel and overlapping position.

Q The combination as in claim 8 wherein said locking member is perpendicular to said rod-holding portion.

10. The combination as in claim 9 wherein each of said parts includes at least one bracing member between said locking member and said rod-holding portion.

11. The structure as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a pair of feed line conductors spaced in an insulative manner on opposite sides of the boom with a first flexible conductor connected between one of said rodlike conductors and one of said feed line conductors and a second flexible conductor connected between the other of said rodlike conductors and the other one of said feed line conductors.

12. A collapsible antenna structure comprising:

a boom,

a pair of elongated rodlike conductors,

a pair of support parts of insulator material, each of said support parts having a rod-holding portion adapted to receive and hold a given length of one of said rodlike conductors,

one of said pair of elongated rodlike conductors fixed to and extending the entire length of one of said pair of rod-holding portions and the other of the pair of elongated rodlike conductors fixed to and extending the entire length of the other one of said pair of rod-holding portions,

means mounting said pair of support parts on first opposite sides of said boom to pivot said rodlike conductors between positions generally paralleling second opposite sides of the boom and positions where the rodlike conductors cross said boom on said first opposite sides of the boom with said conductors at an angle with respect to the boom,

a pair of feed line conductors spaced in insulative manner on said first opposite sides of the boom,

a first conductive strap connected between one of said rodlike conductors and one of said feed line conductors and a second conductive strap connected between the other of said pair of rodlike conductors and the other one of said feed line conductors, said conductive straps being dimensioned and arranged so that said conductive straps are flexible only in the pivoting direction of said support parts.

13. The combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said insulator material is a resilient plastic material.

* d E I i 

1. A collapsible antenna structure comprising: a boom, a pair of elongated rodlike conductors, a pair of support parts of insulator material, each of said support parts having a rod-holding portion one of said pair of elongated rodlike conductors held by and extending a length of one of said pair of rod-holding portions and the other of the pair of elongated rodlike conductors held by and extending a length of the other one of said pair of rod-holding portions, means mounting said pair of support parts to said boom to pivot said rodlike conductors between positions generally paralleling opposite sides of the boom and positions where said rodlike conductors cross said boom with said rodlike conductors being parallel to and overlapping one another over a given length on opposite sides of the boom and at a given angle with respect to said boom, each of said rod-holding portions of said support parts holding a portion of the length of one of said rodlike conductors to provide a large area support of said rodlike conductors on either side of the boom when said rodlike conductors cross said boom, the pair of support parts being configured to cooperate with each other and said boom when the rod-holding portions are in the position where said rodlike conductors are parallel and overlapping one another to provide rigidity to said rods in addition to that provided by said support parts alone.
 2. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said given angle is a substantially 90* angle.
 3. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said rodlike conductors in said parallel and overlapping position cross the boom with substantially equal lengths of each rod-holding portion extending from both of said opposites sides of said boom.
 4. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said insulator material is a resilient plastic material.
 5. The combination as in claim 4 wherein said resilient plastic material is polypropylene plastic.
 6. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ends of one said rod-holding portion are configured to cooperate with the ends of the other rod-holding portion when said rodlike conductors are in said parallel and overlapping position.
 7. The combination as in claim 6 wherein one end of each of said rod-holding portions has a groove and the opposite end has a load-bearing support leg adapted to fit in the groove of the other rod-holding portion when said rodlike conductors are in said parallel and overlapping position.
 8. The combination as in claim 1 wherein each of said parts includes a locking member adapted to hold said part against pivoting to the boom when said rodlike conductors are in said parallel and overlapping position.
 9. The combination as in claim 8 wherein said locking member is perpendicular to said rod-holding portion.
 10. The combination as in claim 9 wherein each of said parts includes at least one bracing member between said locking member and said rod-holding portion.
 11. The structure as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a pair of feed line conductors spaced in an insulative manner on opposite sides of the boom with a first flexible conductor connected between one of said rodlike conductors and one of said feed line conductors and a second flexible conductor connected between the other of said rodlike conductors and the other one of said feed line conductors.
 12. A collapsible antenna structure comprising: a boom, a pair of elongated rodlike conductors, a pair of support parts of insulator material, each of said support parts having a rod-holding portion adapted to receive and hold a given length of one of said rodlike conductors, one of said pair of elongated rodlike conductors fixed to and extending the entire length of one of said pair of rod-holding portions and the other of the pair of elOngated rodlike conductors fixed to and extending the entire length of the other one of said pair of rod-holding portions, means mounting said pair of support parts on first opposite sides of said boom to pivot said rodlike conductors between positions generally paralleling second opposite sides of the boom and positions where the rodlike conductors cross said boom on said first opposite sides of the boom with said conductors at an angle with respect to the boom, a pair of feed line conductors spaced in insulative manner on said first opposite sides of the boom, a first conductive strap connected between one of said rodlike conductors and one of said feed line conductors and a second conductive strap connected between the other of said pair of rodlike conductors and the other one of said feed line conductors, said conductive straps being dimensioned and arranged so that said conductive straps are flexible only in the pivoting direction of said support parts.
 13. The combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said insulator material is a resilient plastic material. 